NHL 19 Reviews
NHL 19 proves you can have your cake and eat it, too. It has a complex, sim-heavy Franchise mode, fun, fast, ridiculous arcade modes, and everything in between. There's a style of play here for anyone, from the absolute rookie to someone who lives and breathes hockey. The action on the ice feels excellent and there's just so much to do in NHL 19 that I was able to find a game mode to match any kind of mood I was in at the time. We don't need to ask “where did all the arcade-style sports games go?” anymore, because NHL 19 folded them all into a fantastic, robust package oozing with pure fun. What's most amazing is how the modes are so different in tone, but maintain excellence throughout.
Welcome improvements to the general gameplay and franchise mode make this the best NHL in years, but the team still has a lot of work to do with modernizing its career mode and cleaning up legacy issues
These are the kinds of upgrades you expect if you follow an annualized sports franchise. Yet I feel more impressed at the fact that EA Vancouver was able to build an online suite for NHL 19 that didn't just draw me in with the shiny trinket of outdoor play, but kept me going despite the frustrations that are sometimes inherent to online gaming.
NHL 19 controls exceptionally well and looks fantastic, and the new outdoor hockey mode nails the essence of hockey culture.
NHL 19 takes some interesting risks with World of Chel while bringing badly-needed improvements to the gameplay. Its modes are customarily solid, but the faster, tighter action on the ice is what makes it possible to recommend NHL 19 to newcomers and lapsed hockey fans alike.
NHL 19 is still a fun virtual hockey experience, and that's the biggest thing.
There are still things that need addressing, but NHL 19 is the best hockey experience I've had with the NHL franchise in the PS4 era.
NHL 19 is a great new chapter in the already glorious history of the EA IP. It succeeds in rinvigorating the gameplay on the ice, but something more could have been done off the rink (gameplay modes, matchmaking).
Review in Italian | Read full review
Probably the best hockey game ever, with a plethora of game modes and a lot of accesibility options.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
For one of the first times in recent years, the NHL series feels much more improved, with the World of CHEL mode proving to be a resounding success.
NHL 19 is a solid game and one that packs plenty of ways to enjoy its core mechanics.
Don't let NHL 19's slick menus and new skating animations fool you: the same NHL game you've been playing for five years is still here. If you already know the series well, this is unquestionably the best iteration of the title, but it comes with the added caveat that it's hindered by many of the same problems from years past. The reduced significance of poke check, and smaller changes like new skating animations, definitely help elevate the general presentation of the title – but it could and should be so much better than it is.
NHL 19 is as solid as it gets yet I cannot help but wonder what could have been done with more resources.
NHL 19 continues to refine its beloved sports title to a sheen. Game play feels fluid and responsive with next to nothing getting in its own way. NHL 19 sets a standard that most sports titles could learn from: fundamentals before flair.
With NHL 19, hockey fans get a glimpse of how much fun these games COULD be.
EA Vancouver increased the realistic motion effect experience in NHL 19, and implemented a diversity of changes in the game modes.
Review in French | Read full review
NHL 19 is really good, especially compared to the previous year, now feels much more accessible, more fun and generally more complete
Review in Spanish | Read full review
NHL 19 stands strong with the other EA Sports offerings this year. Its inclusion of a myriad of different modes and customization add a depth that past installments were missing. Whether you play NHL for its online competitive nature, or you just like to play against your friends on the couch, NHL 19 is a great pickup for any fan of hockey.
Outside of a couple of minor tweaks that most players won't notice, things are mostly the same, which is odd when you consider that both One and Pro-Am could work well offline and that this game's servers will shut off one day. Yearly players who stay offline should heavily consider whether the few small changes there make NHL 19 worth picking up, but I have no problem recommending it to the multiplayer die-hards or those who want to jump into the games for the first time.
With newly added modes like World of CHEL and the inclusion of Real Player Motion, NHL 19 adds a new layer of polish onto last year's advancements in stick control and shooting. The end result is one of the best hockey games ever.